How do we save money?

Currently, a lot of school districts use an e-rate consultant, a company that files and manages the Universal Service Fund. Most e-rate consultants charge between 10-15% of totals received by school districts. For example, if a school district has $100,000.00 in telecom and Internet Access reimbursements, the vendor would automatically receive $10,000.00. In recent years e-rate (or the Universal Service Fund) expanded discounts to include network hardware, wiring, and hosting costs (websites, etc). Which can drastically increase the funds spent by the district.

This is just ONE example of how an in-house grant writer could benefit and save the district funds. There are many grants like this, and the district needs to have someone who manages and goes after entitled funds like these, as well as other Competitive Grants. Districts with a high level of economic need receive some of the highest amounts. As of 2022, the Little Egg Harbor schools have an economical need percentage of as much as 70%. These grants make funds available for:

• The dramatic increase in funding for education so that every child attends a well-resourced school, with a particular emphasis on correcting disinvestment in schools that primarily serve students from families with low incomes.

• Target the distribution of new investments to districts with high economic need rates so that funding is allocated where it will expand opportunity the most and lead to significant improvements in outcomes for most students.

• Provide incentives for states and districts to improve their funding systems so that the new investment leverages positive change at the state and local level, both increasing the amount of state and local money spent on K-12 and reducing inequity of state and local funding.

• Improve equitable distribution of educational resources and opportunities across and within school districts by supporting states and local districts in conducting resource allocation reviews with an explicit focus on low-income inequity.